The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1887-05-07
Woman and Wo1nnnlincss.

The retent election in Kansas has prar-
tically demonstrated that politics Is got
| woluan's sphere. The extension OF the
RIGHT OF suffrage to women has not puri-
FED, much less elevated. the standard OF
/! p~olitics in that State. Many disgracetui
scenes we're enacted at the polls. Women
without regard to color or character usee
all the Establishments OF the sex endcavor-
ing to make the male voter support their
candidate, and i'll several towns they en-
gagged in such heated CONTROVERSIES ana
Stirred up such malignant ISLANDERS that
the result was u series OF rows 1--WE
families in which men were KNOCKED down
and wounded, and libel suits instituted
Rayne Signal.
In this day and generation when
woman's ambition is Il leading feature,
and when woman's rights are claimed
to a full, free and equal participation in
all the affairs of life, it may not he
amiss to inquire what all this means.
There are many pursuits from which
woman seemed to be debarred by mere
conventi0nalitles rather than from any
other cause, to which We would most
freely admit her right, and from which
she is not really debarred except by
the common customs of society. When
woman performs the labor of man, she
should be, entitled to the same remuDer-
alton. By any other rule wrong Is
melted out to her. But while all this is
SO, let us see what is it that gave woman
the exalted sphere which she occupies
in Christian countries, and when we
have seer that, let us stop and think
whether, if she exercise all privileges
of the other sex, she can retain that
, exalted position SO willingly and so sa-
, credly accorded to her now.
| That which gives her this command
ing altitude from which we would not
have her descend, is her Womanliness.
l Take this distinctive feature away from
: woman, will we, can we love, admire
I and esteem her as we do? "Of all the
beauties that adarn a weman's nature,
what we mean by womaIliness, is the
), greatest" The first great distinctive
feature of woman's whole nature is hsl
natural love of admiration. Rer woman.
illness gives her the charms which MAJ
@ admires. Take these from her-anC
4 they must depart whenever she stooDs
e to act the part Of mainland mans ad'
miration is lost in the "commoness" o
the life she lives. She will remember
as there are certain manly virtues which
: she admifes, there are certain womanl,
IL virtues man admires, and that she wh'
y preserves the greatest share of thess
womanly virtues is the most admired.
Woman was net made for the rougl
j, part of life; and the fact that in som,
r instances women have been compelled
= to do all kind of work, is no proof tina
=. such is not womanly, and such is onl,
y a degradation 10 her nature. Woma;
was made to be a sister, to temper tn
IS rough points of a brothers life, and lea'
l. HMM the paths of virtue and Christian
e character. Woman was made and fash
d Toned to be a mother, and mother is
holy name. When from the caEes Of TOT
and every day life the wearied brothe
comes to his home and meets the ange
l. smile of a sweet sister, and hears he
y soft voice in songs of love and welcome
Is he feels more charmed by them tina
6 We're he to know she had cast a thou
e sand votes for his favorite friend. An
when that wearied father meets hi
gentle daughter, his heart .gushes fort
:, in love for her womanly nature. Thes
, are thoughts which teach lis bow niue
&c more lovely is woman as a wonnan tina
% as a A true woman feels the hone
~ given to her o fully as wife an
mother, than she can feel though SUI
rounded by the rabble crowd hurlin
shouts of praise at the rostrum fro,
=" which she Eliminates her maSculiu
l. artillery.
lie Europe's Fighting Strength.